The Black Marble

This is only the second book I have read by this author as I always assumed his books would be quite gory (not sure where I got that idea from) but in actual fact they are laugh out loud funny. The Black Marble revolves around a drunk detective, Valnikov, his new partner's efforts to get him sacked and his investigation into a dognapping. The book is a bit difficult at first as Mr Wambaugh devotes a different chapter to each character and whilst they are funny and have some acute things to say about human nature it is hard to see where it is all going and keep focused - I was thinking about giving up on it but the humour kept me going until it all came together. It is a bit dated but, if you can stick with it through the first few chapters, it is a funny, clever read.

I have read all Joseph Wambaugh's books: mostly when they were first published. The first, I think, was 'The Choirboys' which I found very funny at the time. He stopped writing for a while and his more recent books lack the substance of the earlier ones in my opinion, but I still enjoy whatever he writes.Every now and again I download one of his older books on Kindle and The Black Marble is one of his best. The central characters are two police officers, a woman who owns a champion dog and a guy who runs a kennel. I find the antics of the latter two very funny.If you have only read one or more of the recent 'Hollywood.........' series of books, I believe you will really enjoy this one.

going through a 're-read' mood,so reaquiring books lost or lent down the years...this seems as entertaining as all Joseph Wambaugh novels i have read..scenarios sometimes slightly out-dated now ,but there is no substitute for great writing...ever. loved it...jinx

As Wambaugh as usual. Slow starter but gradualy gets you hooked. Took a while to work out where the plot was going but once there, this is Wambaugh just as you would expect. Usual writing style and some typical charachters. Really enjoyed this book.

Absolutely a brilliant book I read this many years ago and lost my copy Thankfully now have it again .Love the characters Joseph Wambaugh is such a good writer anyway How could you not enjoy this book ?

Although Joseph wambaugh can at times come across as a bit of a tosser this novel.is a good action novel

really poor after reading the choirboys previously, I've given up 1/3 of the way through.

just excellent

As usual for Wambaugh, a great book

This book's story never really captured my interest. The 2 main characters were not as appealing as I would have expected they would be while they were being presented and developed, specially, the female one. I had a hard time visualizing these 2 main characters as tired, bitter, wasted and older as I felt the author represented them. They were only 44 and 39! Also, the other characters did not bring from me any sympathy. Maybe it was my mood while reading it while hurricanes were destroying countries and part of USA, but I really did not care about the dog-napping as being that compelling, either - though I did not like reading about the the dog's torture. I have to say, in full disclosure, that I am not attracted to "black comedies"

Wambaugh is simply the best at writing about the wacked-out criminals and bizarrely motivated victims that cops meet. Not to mention some of the strange characters carrying a badge. As an ex-Deputy Sheriff I can authoritatively state that no one is better than Wambaugh at capturing the essential absurdity of the police experience. It is funny, sad, frightening, confusing & continually surprising. I recommend reading anything Wambaugh writes.

This has to be one of the most bizarre mystery cop books I've ever read. A Russian cop, a psycho dog trainer, identical show schaunzers, a suspicious female partner, and a paranoid fading Hollywood Blueblood - all combine to make this a hilarious read. Maybe a bit unbelievable at moments but true life is always stranger than fiction. I look forward to reading more from Mr. Wambaugh - a good laugh that holds ones attention is always appreciated!

There were errors throughout the book that seriously detracted from the experience. Without that, I would have given it a four. It was written in 1977 and I think it was copied wwith an OCR and not proofread. Other than that, the story was pure Wambaugh. Great cop characters, great cop stories, and that was about it. Some of the lengthy sessions with Philo Skinner I didn't really read. He was a boring crook and I just skimmed through most of those sections.So, an okay Wambaugh read.

This and The Glitter Dome were his last "Gonzo" novels. As good as his current/later work is, it doesn't match the 70s lunacy of his early stuff. (His non-fiction True Crime, however, never fails.) Great book, this.

starts slow, but finishes well, like a good cigar or glass of wine. Not as focused on police mentality as Wambaugh's other earliest works, but still gets to the humor and pain of police work at a deeper level. A classic read for anyone that really wants to get into the psyche of old school policing - a must read if you want to have a conversation about anything police

Like all Wambaugh, story disses Old Pasadena, upper class society, police work and most women. Add a seasoning of dog doo and Russian melancholy and you have the basic theme. Starts slow (too much drunken Russian), moves to all you ever need to know about dog shows, turns to a weird love story, and ends up funny, fast and fun. If you are patient, you will have a good laugh. Love conquers all.

I didn't make it past the third page. And I like his books. Maybe he was experimenting with a new style. I had no patience.

It’s a Joseph Wambaugh novel, it is a bit hard for me to accept that there might be a reader who does not know what to expect when reading one of his novels. He writes of the world of cops with knowledge from experience of having been a cop. The most entertaining depictions presented are those of life in a squad room or precinct, where the cops live. For those without experience as a cop, it might be difficult to imagine it could be as wacky as described in this book. I had no problem accepting it.A show dog, very valuable, will be kidnapped. A substitute, almost a look alike will be left in its place. To solve and deal with this heinous crime, a plethora of misfits, both in and out of law enforcement, will be mustered. Some of the most important ones are:Central protagonist and 24 hour-a-day alcoholic police officer, Valnikov, almost beyond the capacity to function on any level resembling human. He seems to speak only in non-sequiturs to partner Natalie.An entire case that revolves around the theft of a show dog, very important to owner Madeline, a formerly wealthy woman without present-day ready cash, as she cannot sleep unless her dog, Vickie, is in bed beside herThe Terrier King, an unscrupulous dog trainer for show dogs. A dog-napper through a bait and switch theft of Vickie for Tutu.A squad room full of cops that seem to co-exist despite all their personal and professional flaws.Partner cop Natalie who keeps the readers interest engaged with the answer to the question of whether she will ever respect Valnikov. She wants to complain about Valnikov to Cpt. “Hipless” Hooker, her boss, but he is too busy retiring.Millie, just shy of 80 years old, with a belief that twenty-five year old guys are too old for her. She cares more for them than Tutu, her show dog. Alligators also take precedence.This is a fun read for a weekend.

Interesting story about show dogs, greedy kennel owner and police officers. Both the kennel owner and at least one of the police officers are alcoholics. The police officer is trying to get sober while the kennel owner tries to extort money from one of the dog owners.Good story

This early Wambaugh novel hardly has a mystery or much of a crime, but the characters are well drawn, and the police partners touch all the right notes of repulsion, anger, misunderstanding, and attraction. All with delicious borsch. Worth the read.

my ssecond Wambaugh, after reading Choirboys. again a good police procedural, if it fits that genre. So much more, humor mixed with sadness and a rapport with the characters. You have feelings and sympathy for them. A good read and well worth your time.

Solid Wambaugh with some minor glitches but as usual, a pleasurable read better than the majority of other mysteries out there. Other than the wacky injuries, this could almost be a cozy.

I enjoyed this book. The begining was a little bit confusing but it turned into an interesting tale. The characters. especially the detective, is sad and amusing at the same time. You really wanted him to be happy.